Metropolitan Magic in Mexico
Words & Photos Deven Wilson
Seven thousand feet above sea level lies Mexico’s magical capital city, sprawling and charming with neighborhood after neighborhood of colonial Spanish architecture. A few days in this enchanting, metropolitan city will lead to a lifetime love affair with a magnificent metropolis and captivating culture.
Friday
In under three hours, you can arrive at Austin’s own Bunkhouse outpost, Hotel San Fernando, offering a blend of urbanism and nature around Hippodromo near La Condesa, a former horse race track turned high-end neighborhood with an urban trail following the old racing path. The trail is lined with overgrown palm trees and sprouting fountains with shops and cafes to break up the walk. A few blocks north is Contramar, a top-tier Mexican seafood spot that’ll more than justify the difficulty of booking a table. A stroll to soak in the sunset and spontaneous salsa and bachata dancing under the bougainvilleas anchors the hotel’s neighborhood park, Parque Mexico, the perfect complement to the first-day buzz that lingers long after dinner.
Saturday
BUNA Condesa has out-of-this-world lattes and conchas. Roma Norte has everything you could want for shopping and sampling. Nearby, the towering replica of the Statue of David stands proud in Plaza Rió de Janeiro, only a few blocks away from four stories of thrifting fairy tales at Goodbye Folk. Lunch provides a chance to drool over LA 89’s tortas, birria tacos, or even a bowl of birria ramen. Across town, towards Chapultepec Park, there’s an endless collection of ancient artifacts and architectural splendor at National Museum of Anthropology. Dazzling views at Chapultepec Castle or wandering the vast park as the sun sets in the amber sky make for the best photo-op. Unforgettable courses of Indian, Mexican, and African flavors abound at Michelin-starred Masala y Maíz. Only another few blocks away is the baroque beauty of Palacio de Bella Artes theatre and the gardens of Alameda Central. It’s also a short walk to the overwhelmingly large Zócalo and Catedral Metropolitana, which sparkles with twinkle lights at night.
Sunday
Farmacia Internacional is the best place to start the morning with chilaquiles before renting a bike from the local bikeshare program, Ecobici, for a morning bike ride on car-free streets during the weekly free Muévete en Bici (move on bikes). Ecobici offers a whimsical way to breeze past the towering Angel of Independence on the skyscraper-lined Paseo de la Reforma without worrying about cars, soaking in final views of the enchanting city before departing, grabbing one final street taco before flying back with a new cosmopolitan crush on Mexico City.
Getting There: 2.5 hour direct flight on Aeromexico
Best Time to Visit: March for the purple flower Jacaranda trees
Must-Do: The National Museum of Anthropology
Local Sip: Hanky Panky Cocktail Bar
Worth the Wait: Kouign Amann from Odette
Hidden Gem: The bookstore cafe, Cafebrería El Péndulo Condesa
